Identification Of Nontuberculous Mycobacterium Isolates in Suspected Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients

According to World Health Organization, in the global tuberculosis ranking Pakistan is in 5th position. Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacterium is responsible for this dreadful disease, but there are other nontuberculous mycobacteria species that could also be the possible cause of this disease. Scanty data is available on the incidence and distribution of species responsible for this infection. Local studies on non-tuberculous mycobacterium species would be of great support in targeted therapy. Methods: This study was designed to investigate the incidence and distribution of non-tuberculous mycobacteria-associated infection in pulmonary suspected tuberculosis patients. Sputum samples were processed for microscopy and culturing on Lowenstein–Jensen regardless of age and gender suspected TB patients. Positive cultures were then processed for detection of non tuberculous mycobacteria species using commercially available Geno Type Mycobacterium CM hybridization strips. Results: A total of 1560 sputum samples were tested for Mycobacteria by culturing, 215 were positive, 71 contaminated and 1274 were negative. All 215 culture positive isolates were exposed to Geno Type Mycobacterium CM kit revealed, 55 cultures as Non-tuberculous mycobacteria and 160 as Mycobacterium complex. Adults between aged 40 to 60 years and male were predominantly (61.81%) infected than females (38.18%). Conclusions: Scanty data is available about the contributions of non tuberculous mycobacteria to tuberculosis-like disease, and noteworthy geographical distribution, clinical and molecular epidemiology-related knowledge gaps exist in the areas with a high burden of disease caused by mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. Isolation of nontuberculous mycobacteria from clinical specimens should promptly be evaluated for their clinical significance.